Tag: humanoid

The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots have been voicing their concern for years. And they’re finding that the UN’s Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons seem to be doing little more than “having talks” on the issue. And somewhat like coming to a film/media student for information on robotics/economics, that really doesn’t seem like it’s gonna help. Even if she’s the only one that finds a way to relate Monty Python to pertinent issues.

But I digress. Here’s an idea for an action that might get them started; put a stop to the military’s development of machines that can autonomously track and kill people. Because those sound absolutely wretched. The solution to men and women dying in wars is not sending machines in their place, it’s chilling out on the war.

The whole situation is more complicated.. I realise that. But here’s the thing, when the very thought of something makes your skin crawl and reminds you of every dystopian future you’ve ever nightmared about MAYBE DON’T BRING IT TO LIFE.

I’m not saying every prostitute will. That would be a generalisation. And I haven’t done enough research into the sexual health of prostitutes to make a definitive claim… I’m just saying it’s possible.

So sex robots are a thing, almost. I mean they’ll very soon be a very big thing. And it’s no doubt going to cause a total reworking of the prostitution trade.

A few things to consider…

A sex robot wouldn’t carry disease.

It would, theoretically, be down with whatever. Got a weird toe thing? No judgment from the android.

It could be designed to be physically perfect.

It would probably be much better at it than humans. No insecurities about uncultivated manscape. Doesn’t stop until you tell it to. Will tell you on cue that you’re “the biggest she’s ever seen” without a hint of sarcasm, and additionally, without bursting into hysterical laughter before she even gets the sentence out …That kinda thing…

But before you perves start lining up there are some other things to consider. For instance, how would the market be navigated with regard to pedophilia and child-bots? And at what level of robotic sentience would the entire thing become exploitative? How would these machines be dealt with in countries that haven’t legalised prostitution? Do any of us even think it’s not insanely creepy to have sex with an android, or is it really just a glamourised vibrator?

On another note- this is a brilliant topic to bring up when there’s an uncomfortable lapse in conversation at a party, especially a shnazzy party. Like one without paper plates. Take it from this undisputed social queen. Never fails.

Google’s deep learning software teaches itself how to play computer games without prior knowledge of the controls, the goals or the methods of game play. You’re sure machines will never be intelligent enough to replace you? Think again.

This crazy-ass video is of the Hubo Humanoid Robot, winner of the 2015 Darpa robotics challenge. The robots are given goals. They have to then make decisions about how to best accomplish each one. It’s incredible to perceive the scope of tasks that this guy can handle, from driving a car to turning a valve to utilising a yellow power tool to slice through a wall.

The win proved a bit of a controversy because Hubo elected to push the obstacles aside instead of clambering over the rubble. It has been suggested that this action was cheating, but what’s more mind-blowing is a robotic mind having the capacity to seek out a loop hole, to bend rules in order to find the simplest solution. Ruminate on that for a second or two.